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10 days after the Kent State Massacre in 1970, in Jackson, Mississippi there was a similar but much less publicized tragedy. At Jackson State College on May 14/15, students had gathered to protest the US invasion of Cambodia. As the evening went on there were fires and turned over cars. Close to midnight, the police decided to disperse the crowd of Black student protesters. They approached and then for no apparent reason opened fire on the protesters- shooting 140 rounds.

Two people were murdered by the police that night- Phillip Lafayette Gibbs, 21, and James Earl Green, 17. 12 others were also injured.

No arrests were made in connection to the murders, or injuries of others.

This is yet another example of the use of deadly force by the police in order to silence a political group. Opening fire on unarmed protesters is a pretty clear way of expressing the state’s view on their activities.

One Response to “May 11th: Jackson State”

For the best eye witness accounts of the Kent State shootings by various Kent students and national guardsmen who shot students, check out the Emmy Award winning documentary, “Kent State, The Day the War Cam Home.” It was just released on DVD for the 40th anniversary. In its review of the program, The Hollywood Reporter stated, “This extraordinary hour long doc is so good, so well constructed, that it can’t help but leave viewers feeling as if they themselves were on the bloody scene of the Kent State carnage…” for more go to kentstatedvd.com